3 Delicious Cocktail Recipes That Are Keto Friendly

A diet that lets you have bacon, cheese, desserts, and a cocktail? Dreams really do come true. Yep, you can totally enjoy a drink (or two) while sticking to the keto diet, which basically makes it the greatest thing ever. The key to all of these cocktails (as with any keto recipe) is they’re low-carb, whether your taste runs toward margaritas, mojitos, or tasty sangrias – there’s something for everyone! We’ve rounded up three of our favorite delicious, low-carb cocktails that are totally keto diet friendly. We’ll drink to that!

Spicy Low Carb Margarita

Margaritas are delicious, but unfortunately, restaurant-made or commercially bought versions are usually loaded with sugar and carbs. The traditional margarita ingredients are tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau (a brand of triple sec) or Grand Marnier. The tequila is zero carb, and the lime juice is low carb – but those sweet orange spirits are where the problem lies! So instead of the triple sec, we used a touch of orange extract; and voila, we have ourselves a carb-free cocktail.

Ingredients:

• Lime wedge
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons tequila
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar-free sweetening syrup
• ¼ teaspoon orange extract
• Ice

Directions:

1. Run the lime wedge around the edge of a glass. Dip the rim of the glass into a plate of salt.
2. Add the remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake well.
3. Drain into the prepared glass and serve with extra ice if desired.

Vanilla Old Fashioned Cocktail

This low carb vanilla old fashioned cocktail is a twist on the classic cocktail that the Mad Men generation enjoyed – though it has recently seen a huge rise in popularity. Not only does it have a delicate vanilla flavor it’s 0 carbs, too! It isn’t an overly sweet drink but has a nice balance of flavors that are well rounded out in a nice glass with a couple of ice cubes and a vanilla bean for garnish.

Ingredients:

• 21-inch piece orange peel
• 1-inch vanilla bean split in half
• 2 ounces bourbon
• ½ to 1 tablespoon sugar-free vanilla syrup
• 2 drops orange water enhancer
• Club soda to taste

Directions:

1. Muddle the orange peel and vanilla bean in the bottom of the glass.
2. Add the bourbon, vanilla syrup, and water enhancer.
3. Stir and add ice.
4. Top with an ounce or two of club soda.

Low Carb Cucumber Mojito

For those of you who love cucumber mojitos, but are worried about all the sugar and carbs – this recipe is for you! We’ve taken the regular mojito and transformed it into a super keto friendly version by taking out the cane sugar and adding in a natural sugar replacement. Here’s the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 5 thin slices English cucumber, extra for garnish
• 8 fresh mint leaves, extra for garnish
• ½ lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons confectioners erythritol sweetener (any brand of low carb natural sweetener will do!)
• 1 ½ to 2 ounces white rum
• 5 ounces soda water

Directions:

1. Fill a 16-ounce highball glass with ice.
2. Add the cucumber, mint, lime, lime juice, and erythritol to cocktail shaker and muddle.
3. Add the rum to the cocktail shaker, cap and shake.
4. Pour the mixture over ice. Top with soda water.
5. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a cucumber slice.

For more delicious cocktail recipes and ideas, check out our other blogs!